Ultra Committed

It takes more than strong legs and tough feet to run 50 miles in 50 states in two months.

On a cool May morning in Memphis, Lisa Smith-Batchen began day 29 and mile 1,151 of her unprecedented cross-country run wearing pink Crocs. The ultrarunner wore the unusual running shoes, paired with three layers of socks, in an attempt to cushion her swollen, tender feet. She’d do the same the next day in Kentucky, and again the day after in Missouri. By then, she’d be halfway to her goal: To become the first person ever to run 50 miles in all 50 states—and do it in 62 days. Though people have previously run 26.2 miles in each state, no one had taken on the challenge of completing an ultra in each state in that period of time. With a resume of about 50 ultra races and more than 100 marathons, Smith-Batchen, 50, hardly needed another record.

But her running is now fueled by a higher calling—raising money for orphaned children. The mother of two adopted kids has collected $4 million for the cause.

For her latest fund-raiser, Smith-Batchen plotted a route that began in April in New Jersey and zigzagged across the country. She ran through snowstorms, humidity, and homesickness, followed by a support crew in an RV. And on June 19, she ran the final 50 in her hometown of Driggs, Idaho, accompanied by hundreds of friends who joined her for the last miles. When she finished, she fell to her knees and cried as daughters Annabella, 7, and Gabby, 5, swooped in for hugs.

We asked Smith-Batchen to reflect on some highlights (and lowlights) from the ultimate running road trip.

Biggest pretrip worry: Overtraining. “I needed to go into this in shape but not in great shape.” Besides, it was impossible to train the body for such a punishing routine. “My hips and legs were very sore for the first 14 days and then magic—no more being sore.”

Average night’s sleep: Four hours. “A moving RV camper is like being in a speedboat: very bumpy, loud.”

Recovery tool: Ice baths in either a portable tub made from PVC pipe and a tarp, or with cold therapy pads covering her lower body.

Worst injury: A broken bone in her left foot, diagnosed after finishing. She first felt pain on day 27, and doctors advised her to stop running. “That was not an option.”

Fastest run: Hawaii—11 hours, 15 minutes.

Slowest run: Vermont—14 hours, 17 minutes.

Best 50’s: Day 1 for the excitement of anticipation; Day 62 for the thrill of accomplishment.

Worst 50’s: Rhode Island [day 4] after 2 hours of sleep; Montana [day 60], where she ran on 20 minutes of sleep in a cold rain.

Best company: In almost every state, people ran by her side. “In State College, Pennsylvania, more than 30 cross-country team members ran the last six miles with me. There was no talking. It was pure synergy and love.”

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